Ministers asked to declare their wealth

The newly-formed government of the Central African Republic (CAR) held its first cabinet meeting on Wednesday, with Prime Minister Abel Goumba asking all ministers to declare their wealth before assuming office. Goumba also asked the ministers whose offices were looted or burnt following the 15 March coup to find offices for their operations. "Each of us, starting with myself, has to make a declaration of his belongings before beginning work," Goumba told the ministers in a speech broadcast by the government-owned Radio Centrafrique. The declaration of wealth, Goumba said, would prevent ministers from taking advantage of the situation to enrich themselves dishonestly. The 28-member government comprises representatives of most political parties and some civil society groups. However, the Mouvement de liberation du peuple centrafricain (MLPC) of ousted president Ange-Felix Patasse has declared itself to be in opposition, despite the presence of two of its members in the government. Following the coup in which Francois Bozize seized power from Patasse, mobs looted private homes and administrative buildings, including the prime minister's office and many ministries. Goumba held his first cabinet meeting in a building owned by a CAR oil company, PETROCA. Most ministers have been using their private vehicles because the official ones were either stolen or damaged. Goumba said he had ordered the security services to recover all state-owned vehicles, adding that they were needed next week when officials from countries in the central African region are scheduled to visit CAR. Meanwhile, Bozize held a meeting on Tuesday with Bishop Paulin Pomodimo, coordinator of the national dialogue initiated last year by Patasse. The talks had been tentatively scheduled to take place in March, but the plans were overtaken by the coup. Pomodimo later told Radio Centrafrique that although Bozize considered the national dialogue important for reconciling the CAR people, he had said it was not the right time. However, Bozize had said it was possible that the spirit of the national dialogue would be transferred to the National Transitional Council (NTC). When formed, the NTC is expected to comprise representatives from political parties, civil society and former heads of state, and to act as a transitional law-making body.